Ford Focus Discontinued
Ford hasn’t been secretive about its plan to phase out the model. In fact, the opposite is true; the automaker withdrew the Focus from the U.S. market back in 2018 and later stated that its shift toward electrification would eventually end production in Europe as well, with the target set for this year.
Even with years of advance notice, the Focus’ discontinuation is still a significant loss for the industry. The move reflects not only changes in Ford’s product strategy but also larger shifts within the automotive landscape.
When Ford introduced the Focus in 1998, the company had major ambitions for the new compact. Developed under the Ford 2000 initiative, the model was designed to serve as a global vehicle, helping merge European and North American product lines into a unified strategy.
As planned, the Focus went on to become a massive-volume model throughout its 27-year lifespan. During that time, Ford sold more than 12 million units worldwide.
And although the Focus was engineered as an affordable compact, that didn’t stop it from gaining serious enthusiast credibility. Blue sporty hatchback car with black wheels parked on asphalt with a city skyline in the background.
The ST made its debut in 2002 as the ST170, featuring enhancements such as stiffer suspension, updated styling, and larger brakes. But while the ST laid the groundwork for Ford’s hot hatch efforts, the more extreme RS is what truly showcased the company’s performance potential.
The Focus RS delivered genuine rally-inspired thrills for everyday drivers. With its punchy turbocharged engine, AWD grip, manual transmission, and attention-grabbing design tweaks, it had all the ingredients of a proper slide-happy machine, especially in the limited-edition RS500 variant.
The RS ended production in 2020, but Ford kept the ST on the market until this past September, meaning that almost until the end, the Focus lineup maintained at least some emphasis on performance.
As both a commuter car and a driver-focused model, the Focus proved invaluable to Ford thanks to its scale. Yet despite being Europe’s second-largest automaker in 2015, Ford had fallen to 12th place overall by last year.
In other words, discontinuing long-running models like the Fiesta and Focus has dealt a major blow to Ford’s market presence. While the brand has filled its lineup with crossovers such as the Puma and Kuga, those vehicles haven’t been able to fully compensate for the loss.
This leaves Ford in a challenging position. Even before the Focus was officially discontinued, Bill Ford Jr. acknowledged that the company’s car lineup was “not as robust as we need to be.”
With the Mustang now the only remaining “car” (not a crossover, truck, van, or SUV) that Ford sells in both Europe and the U.S., that statement rings especially true.
Speculation persists that the Focus nameplate might someday return, and separate rumors suggest Ford may be developing new traditional car models. However, there’s currently no indication that these two possibilities are connected. The Focus might not even reappear as a sedan or hatchback if it returns at all.
About the Author
